Rifle-grenade



C. C. SHEPPARD.

RIFLE GRENADE. APPLICATION-FILED luLYn. I917.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

NORRIS PETERS, mj. Lmw wAsmNmoN D c.

CREEDY SHEPPARD, OF BBIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED STATES ORDNANCE COMPANY, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, A doRroRAmio OF VIRGINIA.

RIFLE-GRENADE.

Specification of Letters Patent. te Apr. 2 1921 Application filed July 11, 1917. Serial No. 179,793.v

To all whom it may concern:

Be it, known that I, CREEDY C. SHEPPARD,

a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State. of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rifle-Grenades; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertainsto make and use the same.

My invention relates to explosive missiles or grenades and has for its object to provide a device of this character which can be detachably engaged on the barrel of a. firearm and which is so constructedthat it will be projected from the arm by the escaping powder gases after the projectile or bullet has left the muzzle of the arm.

Furthermore it is the object of my invention to provide agrenade of. the type named which will not interfere with the flight of the projectile or bullet and which will not require the use of special auxiliary devices or a special cartridge. or powder charge to effect its proper projection.

It is also the purpose of my invention to provide a grenade of the type referred to wherein the action of the firing mechanism of the grenade is instituted by the discharge of the arm.

A still further object of my invention is to produce a simple and cheaply manufac tured grenade consisting essentially of a casing and a closingrplug, the insertion of which with any auxiliary parts serving to assemble the grenade and to close the cavity which receives the bursting charge, such plug carrying a portion or all of the firing mechanism of the grenade; while the removal of the plug will serve to disassemble the grenade.

With these and other objects in vlew the invention consists in the details of construc-v Flgure 1 isa-longitudinal section of my improved grenade applied to a rifle;

Fig. 2, a perspective view of thethreaded plug used 1n the structure of the grenade and which carries the time train and i F 1g. 3, a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a slightly modified form of the invention.

Referrlng to the drawing 10 indicates the barrel of a rifleupon which my improved grenade is shown engaged and ready to be pro ected therefrom. The grenade comprlses a hollow body A having an axial passage B therethrough. Threaded in the forward end of the passage B is a tubular plug 11 which closes the interior of/the body A and carries a time train 12 and a detonator 13. TlIB'bOIe of the plug 11 is smaller in diameter than the adjacent" portion 14 of the passage B and thereby provldes a shoulder 15. Secured'between the inner end of the plug 11 andthe body A-is a disk 16 o f-inflammable material, preferably celluloid, which serves to protectthe time train .12 undernormal conditions as will be obvious. The inner end of the plug 11 is recessed toform suitable cavities 17 which receive the gases. of explosion upon discharge of the rifle and effect the initial projection of the body A from the barrel 10. The diameter of the portion 14 of the pas sage B is such that'said portion of the passage will snugly receive the muzzle end of the barrel 10 asshown in Fig 1.- At the rearof the, portion 1 1 the passage B is enlarged in diameter; to form a chamber 18 to receive the gases of explosion and through their reaction to effect complete projection of the body A.

By reference to Fig. 1 it will be apparent that upon discharge of the rifle the bullet will pass through the bore of the plug 11 without interference. The gases following will consume the disk 16 and ignite the time train 12 and at the same time enter the cavities 17 and effect initial projection of the body A from the barrel 10. As soon as the body A has been projected a sufiicient dis tance to carry the portion 14: of the passage B beyond the muzzle end of the barrel 10 the gases will enter the chamber 18 and react upon the body B to effect complete projection thereof.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 3 the exposed end of the time train 12 is situated at the forward end of the bore of the plug 11, and is protected by the metallic cup 19 inserted in the bore of the plug and adapted to be ejected by the projectile or bullet of the firearm, the gases following serving to ignite the time train.

My improved grenade is shown and described as used in connection with small arms but it will be obvious that by changing the proportion and maintaining the principle of construction it is equally applicable to larger arms.

WVhile the grenade as shown is designed to be armed by the ignition of a time train by the flames of explosion it is evident that other means of arming and detonating the grenade may be employed without departing from' the spirit of the invention as regards propelling means and mechanical simplicity of construction.

I claim 1. A rifle grenade comprising a body adapted to be supported directly on and projected from a rifle barrel and having an opening therethrough for permitting the passage of a bullet and receiving a rifle barrel, and means within said opening in advance of an inserted rifle barrel for receiving and holding the propelling gas after the passage of a bullet completely through the opening in the body.

2. A rifle grenade comprising a body having an opening therethrough for permitting the passage of a bullet and receiving a rifle barrel, a tubular member threaded in the forward end of the passage to form a shoulder in advance of an inserted rifle barrel, said shoulder being provided with cavities to receive the propelling gas and thereby project the body. 7

3. A rifle grenade comprising a hollow body having its rear wall provided with a forwardly directed integral tubular extension for receiving an inserted rifle barrel, the forward Wall of said body being provided with an opening in line with the tubular extension, and a tubular member threaded in the opening and extension forming a shoulder in advance of an inserted rifle barrel, said shoulder being provided with cavities to receive the propelling gas.

4. A rifle grenade comprising a hollow body having its rear wall provided with a forwardly directed integral tubular extension for receiving an inserted rifle barrel, the forward Wall of said body being provided with an opening in line with the tubular extension, a tubular member threaded in the opening and extension forming a shoulder in advance of an inserted rifle barrel, and a firing mechanism having a portion thereof carried by the tubular member.

5. A rifle grenade comprising a body adapted to be supported directly on and proj ected from a rifle barrel and having an axial opening therethrough for permitting the passage of a bullet and receiving a rifle barrel, said opening being contracted forward of both an inserted rifle barrel and the center of gravity of said body to form an abutment against which the gas of explosion reacts to project the body.

6. A rifle grenade comprising a hollow body having its rear wall provided with a forwardly directed integral tubular extension for receiving an inserted rifle barrel, the forward wall of said body being provided with an opening in line with the tubular extension, and a tubular member threaded in the opening and extension forming a shoulder disposed forward of the center of gravity of the body and in advance of an inserted rifle barrel and against which the gas of explosion reacts to project the body.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CREEDY O. SHEPPARD.

Witnesses:

HENRY T. BRIGHT, J. H. SIGGERS. 

